News & Media
Neuro News - January 2004
The Neuro News is a monthly electronic newsletter highlighting activities at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital. If you have any comments, please send them to Communications. To subscribe and receive e-mail notification when a new issue becomes available, click here.
January 2005
Director's Corner: The Neuro on University
This year we will implement plans for the 21st century growth of the Neuro on University Street. A top priority for us will be the expansion of our Brain Imaging Centre (BIC) for the Montreal Consortium of Brain Imaging Research (MCBIR) project. Imaging scientists from the MNI, the Douglas Hospital, the Lady Davis Research Institute of the Jewish General Hospital, several McGill departments, and collaborators around the world will use the resources of the BIC, including positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magneto-encephalography (MEG) scanners and supercomputers for human and animal research studies. Initial funding of $28M for this project was acquired through the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Fonds de recherche en santé du Québec with an additional $1M committed by McGill.
We will embark on a fundraising campaign for the additional $4M needed to complete the expansion. We are continuing our scientific growth through a search for young talented faculty, who will infuse the Neuro with their creativity, drive and enthusiasm. We have well over a hundred strong applicants from superb labs around the world and will spend several months in the search and selection process. We expect new faculty on board by next fall.
Looking to the future of neuroscience, we are planning a substantial new initiative in Synapse Biology. The synapse is the communication link between nerve cells and their targets. It is the site of complex chemical and electrical activity that creates a cascade until the message reaches the target organ. The Synapse Biology initiative will move the Neuro into cross-disciplinary studies of this critical communication junction and take us into emerging fields such as molecular imaging, nanotechnology and biomaterials. Greater understanding of the development and function of the synapse will create opportunities to study neurological diseases in new ways and will help identify targets for medical therapies.
In the global scientific and clinical community, the free exchange of new ideas and technologies is an important key to success.
In 2004, we will pursue collaborative scientific projects with sister institutions in Europe, South America, Japan and China; host highly specialized scientific meetings; and foster strong interaction with former fellows and trainees through special programs. As always, we welcome your input into the planning and growth of the 21st century Neuro.
Please send any comments about the Director's Corner to David Colman
Recent News
Dr. Brenda Milner’s life and career were featured in a wonderful front page article in Le Devoir on January 6, 2004 , "La vie extraordinaire d'une vieille dame très digne, Brenda Milner, sur la piste de la mémoire depuis 50 ans".
A patient’s difficult diagnosis and surgery by Dr. Richard Leblanc was covered in The Globe and Mail on December 20, 2003, "The best gift ever; She was a patient with a mysterious condition that had left her without vision and prone to odd behaviour".
On December 16, in "New plan for Montreal super-hospital" (http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/CBC/2003/12/16/montreal_hospital031216), the CBC erroneously reported that the future MNI would operate in a “scaled back” manner. Dr. Sandra McPherson‘s letter correcting this misrepresentation is excerpted below: The Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) will remain open at its present location on University Street, but not in a "scaled- back" manner. In fact, the MNI will be expanding and keeping its clinical components. There are currently plans to build new facilities (32,000 sq. ft) to house the latest in medical and research imaging technology and new space for our Clinical Research Unit. As well, there are already plans for future expansions. In addition the MNI is currently undertaking a world wide search for new faculty members to join the excellent scientists and clinicians already at the MNI. The Montreal Neurological Institute has been a major force in neuroscience on the international stage since its founding by Dr. Wilder Penfield in 1934. It will continue be so. In the interest of accuracy, this should be reflected in your news story.
